Monument record 9017 - Saxon Road or Area of Paving, Hunter's Walk

Identified in Trenches I and V of the Hunter’s Walk / Princess St. excavation represented by ECH2852 (Phase I of the excavations in this area), was an area of paving or hard standing that is believed to be of Saxon date (4). Overlying what had been a major north – south street of the Roman fortress, the surface was made of large sandstone blocks set in sediment (the blocks are thought to have been re-used Roman stone), and where identifiable it appeared to be c 5.25m wide (4). It was truncated and disturbed by later medieval activities. This area of paving appeared to be contemporary with a series of fired clay features and the post holes of a timber building (4). Although no finds dating to the Saxon period were recovered from the deposits associated with this surface, its stratigraphic relationships strongly suggest that it was post-Roman and not earlier (4). It seems that part of this paving acted as the floor surface for the large timber building also recorded in this area (CHER 9018) (4).

<1> The Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1957-Present, Medieval Archaeology, Youngs S M & Clark J 1981 25/167 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2131.

<2> multiple authors, 1980/81, Excavation Reports and Sites Observed, 7/43-44 Ward S 1980 (Article in Journal). SCH5806.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/288 Thacker A 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Ward, S. W., 1994, Saxon Occupation within the Roman Fortress: Sites Excavated, 1971-81 (Archaeological Service Excavation & Survey Reports) (Monograph). SCH5486.